Feng shui-loving government official thrown out of the Communist Party in China
A regional government official from northern China has been thrown out of the Communist Party for offences including his obsession with feng shui, according to a newspaper report.
It is the first time the country’s anti-corruption authorities have cited belief and support for the traditional Chinese concept of creating harmony in the environment as a disciplinary offence, according to The Beijing News.
It said the official pushed for one city to be expanded nearer to the Yellow River in northern China to improve its feng shui, according to the report.
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The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection announced on Monday that Bai Xueshan, the vice chairman of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, was found to have “violated political discipline”, a euphemism it uses for corruption.
The commission said Bai also “lacked party awareness, went against the investigation into his conduct and organised superstitious activities for a long time”.
China’s communist authorities view some elements of traditional Chinese culture, such as fortune telling, as superstitions.
